Electrically-operated centrifugal extractor.



w. BARTHOLOMEW & c. H. ALLEN. ELECTRIGALLY'OPERATED CE NTRIFUGAL E XTRACTOR.

APPLICATION, FILED'FEB. 20. 1913- Patented Nov. 7,1916.

I V J7@5 W. BARTHOLOMEW & C. H. ALLEN. ELECTRICALLY OPERATED. CENTRIFUGAL EXTRACTOR.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 20. 1913.

' Patented Nov. 1;,

2 SHEETSSHEET 2.

' IIIIIIII, 6

' trically actuated UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM BARTHOLOMEW AND CHARLES H. ALLEN, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNORS TO TROY LAUNDRY MACHINERY COMPANY, LTD., OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPO- RATION OF NEW YORK.

ELECTRICALLY-OPERATED OENTRIFUGAL EXTRACTOR,

Patented Nov. 7, 1916.

Application filed February 20, 1913. Serial No. 749,604.

ments in Electrically-()perated Centrifugal- Extractors, of which the following is a specification.

Our invention relates in general to centrifugal extractors, and more particularly to electrically operated extractors.

The high speed at which the baskets of centrifugal extractors are rotated renders their use dangerous to careless operators unless such extractors are provided with safety appliances for preventing access to the baskets while they are rotating. In order that such safety devices may fully protect the operators, it is necessary that access should be prevented to the baskets, not only while the power is applied to rotate them, but after the disconnection of the driving power and while the baskets continue to rotate by momentum at dangerous speeds. The primary object of our invention is to provide a centrifugal extractor with an electrically actuated lock for the cover, which will continue in locked position as long as the basket continues to rotate.

A further object of our invention is to provide an electrically operated centrifugal extractor, or similar machine, in which the usual safety cover must be closed before the motor can start and must remain closed while themotorcontinues to rotate, and in which the cover cannot be opened while the machine continues to rotate, even after vthe current has been cut off from the motor.

tain the cover closed, and the lock cannot be moved to unlocked position while the extractor continues in operation.

A still further object of our invention is to provide an electrically driven centrifugal extractor, or similar machine, with an eleclock for the safety cover, which will effectively prevent injury to the operators, and which will be simple in construction and etlicient in use.

Our invention will be more fully disclosed herelnafter with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which the same is illustrated as embodied in a convenient and practical form, and in which- Figure 1 is a rear elevational view; Fig. 2, a slde elevational view with parts broken away; Fig. 3, a diagram showing electric circuits for actuating the motor and lock; Fig. i, an enlarged cross sectional detail on line Fig. 2; Fig. 5, an enlarged detail of the centrifugally operated controller for the lock; and Fig. 6, an enlarged detail of the motor controller actuated by the lock.

The same reference characters are used to designate the same parts in the several fig-- ures of the drawings.

Reference character A designates the easing of a centrifugal extractor within which is inclosed the rotary basket 0,.

B designates a support for the casing which is providedwith a base .7) adapted to be secured to a floor, or other underlying surface.

D designates the basket spindle upon the upper end ofv which the basket is supported and by which it is rotated.

03 designates a pulley fixed to the spindle D and engaged by a driving belt 15..

C designates a cover pivotally secured at its rear edge to the usual water ring A around the top of the opening A, while a,

designates the water guard projecting upwardly from the rear of the water ring.

F designates an electric motor provided with a pulley f around which extends the driving belt E, so that the motor is thereby operatively connected with the spindle to rotate the basket.

G designates, any suitable support for the motor-F, which may be-conveniently secured to the support B of the casing by means of flanges such as shown at g in Fig. 2.

A plurality of weights H are pivotally secured by links it tothe spindle D in any suit able manner, as by means of a ring H surrounding and clamped to the spindle by clamp screw it. i

K designates a disk loosely surrounding the spindle D formed of any suitable insulating material and carrying on its upper surface a contact, annular plate Ktorined' and'suitably insulated from the legs of the supporting base B of the casing. The brush holders carry at their inner ends brushes Z and Z which overlie the conductor ring K.

M designates a solenoid supported adja cent the rear of the casing A as by means of a bracket m secured to the casing and provided with vertical side members m, m which support at their lower ends a rest m for the lower end of the core N of the solenoid when the latter is d'energized.

0 designates a bolt pivotally connected to a bracket O secured upon the cover C at the rear thereof but eccentrically with respect to its hinge c. The bolt 0 extends through anopening 0 in the water-guard a, and has a path of movement when the cover is openedintersecting the path of movement of theycore N of the solenoid M. Secured to the lower end of the core N is a disk P formed of any-suitable insulating material upon which is sup orted an annular conducting ring P. R and R designate brushholders which are supported by and suitably insulated from the side members m and m? ofthe b'racket which supports the solenoid. r

r and r indicate brushes carried by the brush-holders R, R2, respectively, and over lying the conductor ring P, as shown in Fig. 6. 1 i

S designates a switchboard supported in any suitable manner, as by means of brackets s, mounted at their lower ends on.the base G upon which the motor F is mounted.

S designates a motor starter of any suitable construction, which need not e described in detail, inasmuch as it forms no part of our invention. p v

T indicates the main switch which is mounted upon the switchboard S.

The leads forming the circuits of the motor and solenoid will be pointed out in connection with the following description of the operation and with particular reference to the diagram shown in Fig. 3. When the switchT ISIOPGII and the basketis not rotating, the solenoid is not energized,'and

hence the core N thereof falls by gravity and rests at its lower end upon the stop m. This position of the core removes the conductor ring P from contact with the brushes 1- and The spindle D not being in rotation. the weights H fall by gravity toward the spindle andthereby permit the disk K and with it'the conductor ring K to drop a way from the brushes Z and F. This position of the core N removes its upper end from the path of the bolt 0 so that the cover may be raised to place within the basket the articles from which it is desired to extract moisture. After the articles have been placed in the basket, the cover is closed which withdraws the bolt 0 from the path of the core N.

In orderto rotate the basket the main switch T is closed which completes the fol- "lowing circuit: lead t extending from a source of electricity, through the adjacent member of the switch T, to lead t, through the series and shunt windings F and F of the field of the motor, from the shunt winding F through lead f to the starter S, and thence through the lead I? and adjacent member of the main switch T to the return lead It. The circuit from the series winding F of the field extends through the armature F through the lead t through the auxiliary winding M of the solenoid, through the lead t to the starter S, and thence through the lead 25 and switch T to the return lead t".

' The circuit above described energizes the solenoid M so that the core N is lifted to the position shown in full lines in Fig. 2, in which it extends across the-path of movement of the bolt 0, thereby preventing the lifting of the cover C. In the circuit above described, the auxiliary winding M of the solenoid constitutes a sufficient resistance in the armature circuitto prevent the operation of the motor, but immediately upon the core of the solenoid being elevated, the conductor ring P engages the brushes r and 1' thereby short circuiting the auxiliary winding M of the solenoid and closing the armature circuit from the lead 22 through the lead a, to brush 1, through conductor ring P, to brush 1', to lead 25 to the lead 5*, and thence through the starter and switch to the return lead 23 The resistance afforded by the auxiliary winding M ofthe plate K, brush l, .lead u, main winding M .of the solenoid, lead 04 back to the return lead 29-. This circuit energizes'the solenoid so as to retain the core in its elevated position to obstruct the movement of the bolt 0. and hence prevent the raising of the cover C. It will be observed that this circuit. through the main winding of the solenoid, does not include the main switch T, and hence after the switch T has been opened to discontinue the motor circuit, the circuit will basket has discontinued to rotate and the weights H have assumed vertical positions, and thereby broken the circuit through the conductor ring K and brushes Zv and Z From the foregoing description it will be observed that by our improvements the motor cannot be started until the cover is closed, inasmuch as the position of the bolt 0 above the core N will prevent the latter being lifted, and hence prevent the closing of the armature circuit around the resistance afforded by the auxiliary winding M of the solenoid. It will therefore be evident that even though the switch T is closed the motor will not start until the cover has been closed. It will be further observed that after the cover has been closed and rotarymovement imparted to the basket through the motor, the cover cannot be raised while the basket continues to rotate even after the motor, circuit has been broken. It will therefore be seen that we have invented an electrically actuated lock for the cover of centrifugal extractors which will insure the cover being closed at all times during the rotation of the basket, and that more specifically we have invented an electrically driven centrifugal extractor provided with an electrically actuated lock for the cover in which the-motor cannot be started until the cover is closed, and in which the cover cannot be opened as long as the basket continues to revolve.

While we have illustrated and described our invention as embodied in a centrifugal extractor and have defined the same in the following claims with reference to such embodiment thereof, yet we do not wish thereby to be understood as restricting the application of our invention to centrifugal extractors, but intend thereby to protect it for guard for'protecting said member, an electrical motor for rotating said member, and electrically actuated 'means for automatically locking said .guardin closed position during the rotationof said member, said means being operative independently of the .electromotive force generated by the motor acting as a generator.

2. In a centrifugal extractor, the combination with a rotating member, of a safety guard for protecting said member, electrically actuated means for locking said guard 1n closed position, and a circuit for said.

electrically actuated means independent of the armature circuit and comprising a controller automatically operated .by said rotating element.

3.In .a centrifugal extractor, the combination with a rotating member, of a safety guard for protecting said member, electrically actuated means for locking said guard in closed position, and centrifugal means operated by the'rotation of said member for automatically controlling the circuit of said electrically actuated means.

4. In a centrifugal extractor, the combination with a rotating member, of a safety guard for protecting said member, a bolt ber said plunger will obstruct the movement of said bolt necessary to permit the opening of said guard.

5. In a centrifugal extractor, the combination with a rotating basket, of a cover for said basket, means for rotating said basket, electricallyactuated means for locking said cover in closed position, and centrifugal means operated by the rotation of said basket for automatically controlling the circuit of said electrically actuated means.

6. In a centrifugal extractor, the combination with a basket, of a cover for said basket, means for rotating said basket, a bolt connected with said cover and reciprocated by the opening and closing thereof, an electromagnet, a plunger actuated by said electromagnet and having a path of movement intersecting that of said-bolt, and centrifugal means operated by the rotation of said circuit of said motor, and means controlled;

by said safety guard forpreventing the operation of said motor when said safety guard is in open position, said meansbeing arranged to automatically permit the operation of said motor when said guard is closed,.-after an attempt has been made to start the motor with said guard in open 'position.

8. In a centrifugal extractor, the combination with ga rotating member, of a safety guard foriprotecting said member, an electric motor for rotating said member, a

Q-Ithe cover closed during therotation of said sistance in the circuitof said motor for preventing the operation thereof, meansfor automatically cutting out said resistance, and means for preventing the cutting out of said resistance while said safety guard is in open'position. I

10. In a centrifugal extractor, the combination with a rotary basket, of a cover for said basket, an electric motor for-driving said basket, electrically operated looking mechanism for locking said cover closed, a switch actuated by said locking mechanism for controlling the operation of said motor,

and acontroller" mechanically operated by the rotation of said basket for maintaining said locking mechanism in position to lock basket;

-41. In a certrifugal extractor, the combination with a rotary basket, of a cover for said basket, an electric motor for driving said basket, an electromagnet, having main and auxiliary windings, means for initially closing a circuit through said motor and the auxiliary winding of said magnet, said auxiliary winding constituting a suflicient resistance to prevent the operation of said motor, an armature actuated by said magnet, a switch'actuated by said armature when said magnet is initially energized for short circuiting said auxiliary winding of the magnet, a. controller actuated by the rotation of said basket for closing a circuit through the. main winding of said magnet,

and interfering connections between said for said basket, a spindle upon which said armature and cover for preventing the movement of said armature necessary to 'ac- A tuate said switch when said cover'i'ls open,

and for preventing the opening of said cover'when said magnet "is energized.

12. In a centrifugal extractor, the combination with a rotary basket, of a cover basket is mounted and by Wh1Ch'it 'lS rotated, a motor for driving saidspindle, a solenoid havlng mam and auxiliary windings, means for initially'closing a circuit throlighsaid. motor and the auxiliary winding of said solenoid,"said auxiliary winding constituting a sufficient resistance to prevent the operation of said motor, a

plunger in said solenoid, a switch actuated by said plunger when thesolenoid is initially energized for short circuiting said auxiliary winding of the solenoid, a centrifugal controller operated by the rotation of said spindle for closing a circuit through the main winding of said solenoid, and interfering connections between said plungerand cover for pre 'entingthe movement of said plunger necessary to actuate said switch when the cover is opened and for preventing the opening of said cover while said solenoid is energized. 13. In a centrifugal extractor, the com- .bination with a rotating member of a safety guard for protecting said member, an electric circuit for controlling the operation of said rotating member, a resistance coil in said circuit to prevent operation of said rotating member when said circuit is closed with said guard in open position, and means actuated by said resistance coil to out said coil out of said circuit and permit operation of said rotating member when said guard is closed. 1

14. In a centrifugal extractor, the combination with-arotating member of asafety guard for protecting said member, a motor for rotating said member, an electric circuit for controlling said motor, a switch for connecting said circuit with a supply circuit, I

and means actuated by said supply circuit independently-of said switch for preventing movement of said guard during the continued rotation of said member after said switch has been opened.

'15. In a centrifugal extractor, the com bination with a rotating member of a safety -guard for protecting said member, an electric circuit for controlling said motor, a switch for connecting said circuit with a supply circuit, means for preventing the closed with said guard in open position, and means actuated byfsaid supply circuit independently of said switch for preventing movement of said guard during the continued rotation- 0f said ,member after said switch has been opened;-

In testimonyv wheredf, we have subscribed our names. h t

WILLIAM 'BARTHOLOMEW,

CHAS. H; Witnesses:

C. M. LEARY,

F. O. WHITMORE.

'operation of said motor when the switch is 

